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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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I^XTRAc. I > I- ROM AuDKKSf 



DKI'MMMI.M COMMWIti:!; 



Samuel s. ivriiDhrr-r. 



15th Annual I^ncampmcnt 



DErAltTMKM OF TIIK IMiTOMAC 



GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC, 



Wasljinglon.D.C, January 30, 1883. 










(;IB.S(1N HUOTHF.ns. I'FtlNTEUH. 
1SH3. 



H^r 



Gift 

AutiiOi.* 

12 '07 



i;\ 1 1: \( r^ ri;<iM \iii>i:i:<s 
SAM UK L S. JH U IM) i:'! 'I\ 

AT Till 

t'tli Aiiiiunl ']'<iicaiufiinei|t 
• I' iiif 

DEPARTMENT OF THE POTOMAC, G. A. R.. 

WASHINGTON, 0. C. JAN 30. 1883 

CoMRADKs: The ntlicial vcar that will doso with thi- Kin-aiii]»- 
inciit has l)eeii (Uic <»f jnosperity for the (iraiid Army of thi- 
Jvt']>iihlic ill this DrpartiiUMit, as it has hecii fur the iiistifiitii»ii 
throiii^hoiit the (■(Uintry at hirije. The r<i»ort> <»f the A. A. (tcn'I 
and (»f the A. Q. ^[. (icnT will a«lvise y(»u of the particulars. 
Tho jjjeiieral facts arc that the mcmliprship of tho Posts of the 
Dcpartir.eiit one year a<^<» was 840. It is now 1,139, a jrairi of 
599, or 71 jier cent. 

The explanation of thi.- <;ratifyini^ t'.xhihit is that the faithful 
hihors of the ol<l niotnhers of the Posts, the wise sviininistration 
of my predecessor, and a ireneral revival of intere>t in each <ither 
anmnL^ the «tld soldier element have i*n conspired t<»<^ether that 
pi-osperily has I»een the necessity (»f the situation. There is eveiy 
prospect tiiat it will coritimie. The daui^er is that in the mere 
matter of mnnhers we may jjrow to(j fast; that the unworthy 
may lind lodgment in our ranks. 

The hlack-l)all should never have careless or revengeful use, iuit 
it is a necessary and useful instrument, and ought to he so \vielde<i 
as to protect the order against the unworthy. 

The meeting of the National Encam|>ment at Paltimore ir> 
June last gave o|)])ortunity for many (tf tiie comrades of this 
Department to attend its sessions, and it was noted with nnuh 
gratitication that although no effort was made liy tlie Depart- 
ment proper to induce a general attendance, that the Posts them- 



selves, iipDii their own motion, did take a place in the splendid 
march with which the exercises of the occasion were Ite^Min, in 
number and f<>rm most creditable to tliemselves and to the De- 
partment. 

The next NatioiKtl Encampment will be held i"i Denver, Col- 
i>rado, probably in the month of August. The journey to that 
])lace will I)e long, and to u good many of us seriously expensive. 
1 trust that no cotnrade whoso position will entitle him to a seat 
in that l»ody will accept an election to such place unless it is 
his faithful purpose to attend. Aside fi-om the fact that it will 
i)e in the line of duty to be present at that aimual roll-call thei-e 
are (considerations associated with X\\g jylnce oi meeting peculiarly 
interesting and suggestive to the survivors of the Grand Army. 
It will l)e pleasant to look upon the mountains, to see of great 
nature's mighty handiwork. But more than this; it will be a 
source of patriotic delight to look from the mountains, from the 
very pinnacle of the Continent down upon a common country, 
whose undiminished whole is our gift of to-day and our legacy to 
the coming generations. It will seem to us, as we shall meet the 
sn)iling welcome of the youngest of the sisterhood of States, 
whose crown of sovei'eignty has l)een woven since the alarms of 
battle happily were hushed, and see as well al)ont her othei's of 
the nation's i»i"t)od ready for the coronation, that it was worth our 
while for the companionship of such as these to preserve unbroken 
the circle of all the stars which shine of right in the national 
firmament. 

CHAKITY THE KELIKF I'KOBLIs.M. 

There has been expended for charity at Department head- 
(juarters the sum of S52 — distributed among thirteen persons. 
This amount, except one item of two dollars, was all disbursed 
upon my own oi-dcr. It wa^ the most disagreeal)ly difficult duty 
J have had to pci-form ; because the money was not my own, and 
hence any mistaki; 1 made was at the cost of others. Exercising, 
as I did, the utmost care of which I was capal)le, 1 am not al)le 
t<i say t<» you that I have leasonable assiu'ance now that the re- 
lief was well bestowed in more tli;in a small minoi'ity of cases. 
A good many who applied were l"elu>ed i'oi- paljialde reasons — to 



Iia\f j^iviii wt.iild Imvf Ik-cii ill<lL•f^•n^il^l^• wiifU', iukI yet it wum 
lianl to turn uii oKI niinrudc away, even tlioii^li every item of hih 
make up told of IiIm uiiwortliiiicHS. I liavo iieccKttarily ri'rt«'<'tfd 
iniuli nil this sulijcct, and Htil>iiiit tiie following; a^ a HUiiiiniiry of 
tlio .situation as it pri'sriitH itsolf to tiiy mind : 

'riicic arc two elastics of pcrson.s who «.cck and need the ai<l of 
tlie (tihihI Army. 

1st. Tho.sc who lu'loiij^ to thi- I'o.-^ts of tiic 1 >cj»artiiieiii, or are 
(tonnceted with tho.^e who do, and prctperly eoine uinh-r the eare 
of the j)artifuhir I'o.sfs to whiih they hehui^ ; and 

2d. Those who ih» not hehdii; within the Department, and liave 
no claim nj)on any Post, hut who appeal to the Posts or t.. the 
I)eji.irt.iiiMt, or to Iiotli as is most convenient tt» themsulvc- 

As to the tir.st class, tliere is iiothin}^ for us to »hj — the whole 
(juestioti is with the Posts ; hut as to the sec(»nd class, much more 
might he said than time will ])ermit <if now. The majority of 
thfiM an- of a chiss who are alway.x ]>osted as to nijjhts <»f lucct- 
ini; and jdaces wjierc. They are on hand. Some <;«»od comrade, 
with a j^'reat lii«r heart is interested ; calls attiMitioii to the >ick or 
way-worn conu'ade in the antc-rooom ; >^~ to >^r» is vote<l ; the hat 
is passed round in addition, and so it goes. The .same per.~on 
may, and <»ften does, call on several Posts and on the Department. 
Giving to such persons in that way is not wise cliarity ; it is often 
folly. There ought t<» he an end of it. There is a hetter way 
than this, if it can l>c found, and if I am unal»le to sketch one, 1 
c-m say something that will set some of you upon the disctovery 
of the i-ight metliod. My suggestion is, first, that our chief duty 
is to our own mi'inhership ; that the I'osts, as Posts, ought not to 
permit themselves to lie called upon for (charity l»y itutsiflers at all ; 
that ///(' w/m/e d\\\y of looking after the want> of all who have no 
claims on the Posts should he delegate<l to a (hpaitmental com- 
mittee constituted for that express purpose, to which every such 
applicant should without exception l)e referred. Such a committee 
would make ni» douhle })ayments ; couUl arrange for proviiling 
meals and lodging upon tickets issued l»y themselves, which tumid 
not well he hartered for liipior. They should have a certain place 
of meeting; could he detailed from the P«>sts in such numbers 
and onler that one memher could he at the designated place every 



in^\\\ in the week, if that were necessary. I think tiiis suhject is 
Worthy (»f serious consideration, and I reconinicnd that this En- 
eanipnicnt cither act n]»on it or turn it over to the incomina; 
Council ol' A(hninistration, uith directions tlint they frame apropcr 
plan, and j»ut it in inniiediate operation. 

HEADylAKTKKS. 

The husiness of the Department is growing-; to faithfully at- 
tend to it requires time and strict attention. Witlu)ut fee or 
reward y(»ur Assistant Adjutant-General, Assistant Quartermas- 
ter-Genej-al, and other staff ofiicers give you most valuahle ser- 
vices, hut gi\-e it under great disadvantage. The Headquarters 
room is, as you know, small — ■heing situated adjoining a Post 
room where several Posts meet, each of which has committee 
husiness of its own to transact, and no room of its own to trans- 
act it in, naturally the hospitality of Headquarters is accepted. 
Besides this, some comrades are sure to prefer Headquarters chairs 
to Post chairs, and so what with this and that the present conve- 
niences are not sufficient, and I recommend that ))roper rooms for 
Head(]uarters he secured away from either hall now used for post 
pur])oses. 

I feel more than justified in pressing this mutter upon the En- 
campment, for the officer most to he ac(;onunodated hy suc-h a 
change ought in fairness to have some stated remuneration for 
the services he renders. But since this will not he asked on his 
hehalf, noi- is it asked or suggested hy him, it is the more rea- 
sonahle that a small sum in advance of that which is now paid I)e 
alhjwed for rent of rooms for his and the Department's hettei' ac- 
comnu»dation. As an additional reason for change of Headquar- 
ters, it may be suggested that the rooms now used are needed 
for theii- own {)urposes hy the Posts who meet in the adjoining 
hall, and ar(^ the moi'e needed from the fact tliat that hall is itself 
l)ecoming too small for some of the growing Posts that meet 
there. 

THE J'KK CAITrA TAX. 

8(j far as I am advised {\ieper capiiif tax collected by us is the 
>inallc>l known to any I )c|iaftincnt of the(Ti'aiid Army of the Re- 



jjiiMic. It is hut KixcontBperijjmrtcr, liuv-in^ticen reduced from 15 
cents to that sum Ity tlic last Kiicumpmciit. TIk! sum now (collected 
is eiioui^li if it is to l)u underst4MM| tiiat dcimrtment liuud(}iuirtcrs 
must rrmuin where tlioy are, and that we may nlwavH he 
lucky enough to ^et a mte of rent n» low an that now paid, and 
if it he furtlier uiiderst«»od that nothing is or (uin he needed for 
an emerj^ency and that n(» act of e.ourte.sy that costs anything is 
to Im" p.iiil for except iiy individuals (•omposin;^ Ileadipiarters. iJut 
if wo may have hi-tter headcpiarters aeeonnn<><lati'Mir., an<l may 
have a small fund for emer;j:eueies, and esj»ecially if the Posts are, 
as they oui;lit to l>c, iclieveil of all <luty in the matter of <xenera' 
relief anil the Departnu'iit assumcsthat duty, then the old rate of 
1 ."> rent- o|iir|it to he restored. 

KM ei.< » V M KNT ( •< »M M ITrKK. 

Your attention is invited to the report of the Employment 
Committee, eonsistini; of Comrades Ames F. Medford, Fred 
Mack, E. K. Winship, \V. S. Cluise, X. M. Brooks, W. G. Hall, 
M. A. hiljoii, li. Kunnet Su)ith, and Stanton Weaver. No insti- 
tution w;is ever more faithfully or intellii^ently served i>y any 
ai^eney of its own creation than have the Posts of this Dejiartment 
and the I )cp;iituu'nt it>elf l)een served hy the committee whose 
account id work done will he laid hefore you. I can say thi.s 
the more freely liecause almost none of the lahor done and none 
of the results ohtained are attrihutahle to any work of mine. F'or 
generous reeoijintion in the tnatter of furnishing employment done 
with hearty j^ood will we are luider lastinjj; ohligations particularlv 
to the Secretaries of War and of the Interior, to Comrade Com- 
missioner Wni. W. Dudley, to Fuhlic Printer S. P. Rounds, and 
to Col. O. II. Irish, of the Hureau of Engraving and Printing, 
who has so lately l)een i-alled away. I know that I shall speak 
the sentiments, not alone of the Employment Committee hut of 
the Dej>artment at large, when I say of C<d. Irish that his eonsid. 
crate kindness to our neeily friends and dependants gave us cause 
to rememl)er him with return of kindly regards, and that we join 
with his nearer friends and family in deploring his loss. 

Tiro ncir /*W.s have heen chartered during the year, ami will 
stand upon theri>stera8 James A. Gartielil Post, No. 7, and Purn- 



side Post, No. 8. Whether this was wise action or not, the future 
will testify. As a rule I am of the opinion that it is the better 
policy to restrain the ambition of comi-ades who wish to liave 
their names innuortalized by appearing as charter members on 
the Post roll. At any rate, in my view, there are now Posts 
en(>iiij;h in the Department to answer all needs for the coming year, 
and I sti-<»ngly advise my successor not to grant any charter for 
that purpose, unless in a very exceptional case. Build up the 
weak Posts ; turn recruits towards them ; speak well of them. 
When no existing Post has less than one hundred and fifty mem- 
bers in good standing on its roll, it will be time enough to con- 
sider whether or not new charters should be granted. 



TNIFORMS. 



If it were an open question, it would be worth while discussing 
the point as to whether or not the badge, and the badge only, is not 
a sutHcient designation for public as well as Post occasions. 
Man}' prefer not to uniform, and many hesitate to incur the cost, 
(small though it is.) But it is not an open question. It is set- 
tled. The rule is that we are to wear on proper occasions a pre- 
scribed dress. On all accounts, therefore, every reasonable effort 
should be used to induce all comrades to supply themselves. 
There is some olijection to wearing the cap, some pi-eferring the 
hat. I see no serious objection to permitting eacii Post to settle 
that question, and 1 suggest the wisdom of considering as well 
whether it would not be advisable to assess a small per cajyita tax 
to form a fund to be offered as a prize to the Post that shall, 
during the coming year add most largely to its uniformed mem- 
bei-ship. The fund could be used to aid comrades in straightened 
circumstances to pay for their uniforms or otherwise, as the win- 
ning Post should desire. These are suggestions which the En- 
campment may well consider, and which are perhaps wortli the 
attention of a committee. 

NOTES OF WARNING. 

Success has its dangers always. The Grand Army of the He- 
pulilic has reached a {)roud position. It is confessedly foremost 
<i| the ci\ ic organizations of the land ; it is [)owei'fid for any end 



it niiiy sock ; its inlliiciicc in wimtevcr (lirectioii It iimy he ttirned 
will always l»e coiisicieialiU'. Tlu'sc fmttn will iimkc it soii^lit 
after for every |)iiri)«>>(' of urivatc aj;j;niinlizeineiil tlmt vieicMiK 
i^reed can siiirirest t.> itM-lf. Private speculation and ult«-rior 
purposes will take npnii tliciiisolves the pirli of "soldier inter- 
ests," and (ieniaiid its recoj^nition ; nay, will assume to Ihj 
part and parcel cd' its very self, and patnudzin^ly offer aid in itH 
great undertakini^s. Aj^ainst tiniiin«; that pii^e of oin- initiotuil 
history which is splendid with the achievements of the (iraiid 
Army into a dea<l wall for the advertisin;^ of any man's wares, I 
protest with all the vehemence of wlncli I am capalde. No man, 
no comrade, no P(»st, no Encanjpment, no Commander may law- 
fully do this thing. Any attempt in this direction ought to ho 
resisted and resented. 

The Grand Army lia> no organ ; there is not an interest tlmt 
concerns it that reipiiivs one; there is no agency of the press or 
forum that can shed lustre upon its name or achievements. It 
must not he made the servant of any interest. It> present is 
above and heyond any man's certificate of character. lie wh«» 
invites to its memhership or appoints to its serving-places any 
man upon pretence that the organizatiiui may he honored thereby, 
is out of order. Let us accept no second place ; march at the 
tail of no trium] hal car, save that of our country, hut Ik- always 
the Grand Army. 

MEMoKIAI, I>AV ** rUK .\KMN(iTON CASKS." 

The dutv imposed ui)on this I)ei)artmeiit of performing in 
memory of our dead buried at Arlington, and for the scattered 
thousands of theii- surviving comra<les, and for the other thousands 
of friends and kindred whose hearts turn t<»\vard that spot upon 
the appointed day, those ceremoines prescribed by our rules an<l 
retJ-ulatious, had due attention. 1 venture U> say tlmt the attend- 
ance of comrades in the line of march was not so great as it might 
have been, though I am advised that it was the largest nmster for 
that purpose that has been known for several years. There were 
about 250 comrades in the line — mo^t of them in ninform. The 
o-eneral result of the day's services, both at Arlington and else- 
where within the Department, wa* highly gratifying. In my 



8 

own mind und ohservution but one thing (at Arlington) tended to 
mar the otherwise satisfactory occasion. Among the great throng 
our exercises brought together there were too many of the ruder 
chiss, whose boisterous conduct, wliose heedless rush l)efore and 
over those whose duties called them tliere, and whose heartless 
trampling out within an iiour of tlie beauties nature and man's 
care had taken months to l)uild, excited emotions of regret and 
indignation, and forced the question of whether unless the unwel- 
come presence of such can in the future be in some way prevented 
or tht'ii- rudeness restrained, it may not be advisable to decorate 
the graves through designated connnittees, holding the servi(.'es 
of speech and song at some convenient place within this city. 

Before leaving this subject, considering tiie peculiar relations 
the Grand Army of this Department bears to the National Cem- 
etery at Arlington, it seems to be proper that I speak of a matter 
that is of moment and of present concern to all who turn lovingly 
toward that sepulchre of the loyal dead. 

On the fourth day of December last, (1882,) the Supreme 
Court of the United States in the case of the United States vs. 
Georsre W. P. C. Lee and Frederick Kaufman and Richard Jt*. 
Strong V8. George W. P. C. Lee, known as " the Arlington 
cases," in an action of eje(;tment originally commenced in the cir- 
cuit court for the county of Alexandria, in the State of Virginia, 
rendered judgment against the United States upon such findings 
as in contemplation of law removes theii' camp out from beneath 
the shadow of the flag and turns the fifteen thousand dead over 
to the proprietorship of private persons. This is tlie situation to- 
day. According to law — that law at whose call they who sleep 
at Arlington marched to the iield — tlie ploughshare may turn its 
furrow tliei'e. 1 do not mean to intimate that there is innninent 
dangei' that the legal right of the now declared personal prc)prietor 
will evei" ripen into actual possession. 

Those who sleep at Arlington are they who, when life was 
new and hope and faith were young and strong, and all the paths 
of honor and of joy that men may tread were open to their feet, 
yet for their country's sake locked arms witli death and went his 
dreary yoii<\. All ix-yoiid tlu' Potomac is our country's to-day 
because oi them. The spoil ihey gathered for themselves is the 
handfid of dii't l)eside the river that hides their i>ones — who will 



9 

iliiri- til lout tlu'ir caiiip. Tlicrc will In- jiul^iiirMt hwift and Hiirc 
a<riliIl^t aiiv who, ('liai-;;t<l with <hity in that rcfrard, »hall fail to 
take all iK'«*«-hharv protoi-tivf uti'pK, 

The ^fiR'iatioii hax rome that shall follow tin* inai-'r ci tin- 
(iraial Army, Imt mhiu' of that remains whii-h rockrd Ut- cradle. 
The jmthos of that mighty htni<;;;lL' ih iiiorr th:iii a iiuMiiory. 
'riiLTc an* lew localities in all the loyal latitj, however remote, 
which are ir»»t eomn'cted with Arlirij^ioii Ky some ti<' of dearest 
recoJK'ction. The writ of the ^reat court which hax spoken ItK 
judi^ment will have due rc-^peet, should have loyal oliedience, l>ut 
it will never he issued ai:ain>t the llai^ that lloats from yonder 
heijxhts. The faithful eonn*ade who «'arns his hrejul as watchman 
l>y the iTJi'e may he le«l forth and forhidden to return, hut it was 
the nation, clad with tlu* lii^htniiij;> of war, that made entry there. 
It is the niaje>ty of all the jteoplc tlmt now holds watch and ward 
aiiionj^' till- tomlis. Who shall K-ad it forth i 

Some means will l»e found to riijhtfully make <xoi>d tiie title of 
the whole pi'oj)lc to the place where their dea<l are laid away. 
Let us hope that it may soon lie done. It is not fitting that such 
as these should for a sinnle uimeeessary day have rest hy the 
sufferance of a straiit^er. 

tiUCIKTV OK rUK AKMV <>V TMK PoToMAr. 

I have hcen ottieially advised that the Society of the Army of 
the Potomac will meet at Washinj^ttni, on May 10 and 17 ne.xt. 
I recommend that proper action he taken liy this Encampment to 
testifv our interest, and to extend our aid in makinii; the oecHsion 
one of pleasure to our comrades of that Society who may I>ehere 
at that time. 

My thanks are due to, and are most heartily extended to the 
C(»mrades wiio have formed the I>ej)artmental Staff, for the 
fidelity to duty on their part, which has resulted in so larire »jood 
to all of the interests of tiie Department, aiul which has nnide 
mv ])osition one altoj^ether pleasant and comparatively easy. 
Without intendiuij in the least to detract from the prai>e due to 
others, it is just that I shotdd say of Ass't Q. M. Gen'l C\)mrade 
Amos J. Gunninp, and of the Abs'I Adj't General Comrade John 
Cameron, that the faithful services of |)revious years have heen 



10 

coiitinucMl tlii-ouii'h the cMii-rent ycai-. These coiin-adi'S li:ive come 
t<t he coiisidere*! not as meinliers of a p.irticnhir Post selected for 
staff duty, luit as attached to the J)ei)ai'tnieiit at hirge, for the 
«i;eiieral ji"<»od. Tlie records of thi' J^epaitiiieiit, as kept hy the A. 
A. General, are a source of just [)ride. Wlien, in some future age, 
the annalist shall seek for UKiterial, out of which to construct a 
history of the Grand Army in the days of its rest from the 
labors of the camp, if happily preserved, and I mnch mistake the 
spirit of the coming age, if these records be not by our children, 
gathered into the nation's care, the records of the Department of 
the Potomac will have a first place in tlie appreciation of those, 
who in that day, shall seek to know of our thoughts and doings. 
To the comrades of the Posts and J)e])artment at large, who 
without exception, have given me their confidence and support, I 
return a comrade's thanks. The little e.\(;ess of cai'e I have had 
in their service, has been more than compensated by that most 

restful sleep, which comes of " weariness in well doing." 

*** * * * * * 

Comrades : The circles where we gather, whether in the hun- 
dreds of the Posts, or the thousands of those annual parades, 
which signalize our Departmental and National Encampments, 
know no countenances on which is the sunshine of ycjuth ; liear no 
voices which are fi'esh with the moi-ning's melody. Our noon- 
time is past; we are in tlie midst of the afternoon ; the upturned 
faces of tiie l)attle-fields were those dewy with youth. We re- 
member them as on them shone the eai-ly light. Ours is the 
lengthening shadow ; but it is a pleasant evening that is coming 
on. The mimic camp-fires we now build have in them no sug- 
gestion that our country's day will ever again bo darkened by the 
smoke of battle, whei'e her sons shall contend with each other 
in mortal strife ; they rather serve to light the pij^o of everlast- 
in<r peace by kiiidlin<i: fresh in mind the ever-u'lorious fact that 
the throng of the ])eople love lil)erty better than ease, and their 
(country l)etter than life. We have seen the generation that 
would stand where we stood twenty yeai's ago, should the call to 
arms be sounded ; we m;iy safely trust their valor and confide in 
their patriotism. Let us deliver to them the castle's keys; we 
may sleep without fear. 



I'OMMITTEK ON COMMANDKH H ADDKKHM. 

TiiHt Dopt. CtJinM'r Win. Oilwon. Pimt PohI Coiu'd'r M. Kmiiiet 
I'roll. S««n. Vi<'<> Dojit. Coiu'd'r Auioh F. Minlfonl n'j)ort<nl : 

1st. Tlmt tlH'V coiuMir in the HU^f^'OHtiouH n-lntivc to r«lJof of the 
national wunls of tho onh'i*. iind reooniincMul ihoir f'ar<«ful ronHidcru- 
l>y tlio Posts of this IVpiu'tnicnt : and tlmt the ('oninian<lcr be 
authon/ed t«) a))i>oint a n>Hof (>oinniitt«M- to whom sliall Ik< rff«Tr<Ml 
all claims for n-lirf from ju-rsons n«)t nH-nduTs of Posts in tiiis De- 
piu'tnu'nt. 

lierotnmt'inliitlnn ntlojttnf. 

■Jil riiat the auppestion that proper rooms for Headquarters Ihj hc- 
I'urcd away froni <'ith<>r hall used lor Post ]»urposes In- apj>rf)ved and 
referred to the Commander. Ass't Adjutant-deneral, and Ass't (^. M. 
General, and that »ui appropriation suffieient to ]iay increiwed rent 
be made. 

Also, that an appropriation of !<10(>. for use of the Ass't Adjutant- 
General, be made. 

Ri'i'oninn'tnltitiini ns to IlKiil</iiurt»'rs. inlojital ; ^\[){) jitr tin .1. 
,1. (t .. iriix (iinnulnl tit iipjil;/ Jot' t/ie jxtst i/frir insUiul nj'the presrut. 

.'id. That the/'»r ra/iltn tax be increased to l/ie. per (juarter. 
Reconitnendatiini (tdoftted. 

4tli. That each Post be allowed to adopt as part of the uniform 
the cap now in use. or a semi-military black sliuich hat. with blue 
and gold cord and acorns. 

liecomnxetuhition ailoptfil. 

5th. That the public servi<-es on Memorial Day be held in the city, 
and the ^'raves be decorated by committees. 

Tjiliif ilftnii thi tillih 

(ith. That the Conunander be authorized to appoint a conimitte<' to 
make aiTangements to testify our interest, and extend our aid to the 
Society of the Army of the Potomiu* during its meeting in our midst, 
and suggest that w<' tender our services as jui escort. 

.\<l'>i>ti')l ; (^onniHitiiltr tnhi rhainiuin of' mtnmiftef. 

7th. W'v cannot rt-commend ajjproval of the sugge.stions relative to 
prizes to the Posts adding nioHt lai"gely to it.s unift)rms. 
.\,l,l,t,,1. 



12 

8th. The report is so full of {i^ood suggestions and Grand Arm}' 
feeling calculated to stimulate to action the better feeling of the " old 
soldier," that the matter of its publication might properly be con- 
sidered by the Department. 

It irds u)t<i)ti)iini(!<ly resolved tJiat 2,000 copies he printed for use 
of the Department. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



012 027 851 7 



Department of the Potomac, G. A. R. 

1883. 



SAM'L S. BURDETT, Gormnander. 



Fred. Mack. S. V. ComvuuuJer. 
F1.0RENOE DoNOHUE. Medical Director. 



W. Howard, J. V. Commander. 
Rev. Ben. Swaf^low, Chaplain. 



Official Staff. 
John Cameron, A. is' t Adjutant-General. 
.\mos. J. Gunning, Asu't Qtmrtei-jna. iter- General. 
Dr. S. A. H. MoKiM, Inspector. 
SAjr'i. C. Mills, Judge Advocate. 
A. W. Prathek, Chief Mustering Officer. 

Aides-de-Camp—h. B. Cutler, D. J. Hussey, J as. L. Poston. 

Afst Inspectors — W. S. McPherson, Jno. M. Keooh, Jos. Burroughs. 

Cmtndl of Administration — H. E. Weaver, W. P. Seville, Levi Naole, P. H. 
Weber, D. A. Grosvenor. 

Delegates — Chas. King, Jas. W. Wisner. 

Alternates— a OH. C. Taylor, Geo. W. Smoot. 

Aides-de-Cavip to Commander-in-Chief—Vnh'SK H Bhownkll, Jos. C. Taylor, 
Jas. \V. Wisneb, Geo. E. Lemon. 

Asitt I nspector- General — Wm. P. Seville. 

Afetnfjer of National Council — Paul Brodie. 

Pant DepaHment Commanders — F. H. Sprague, Jas. T. Smith, B. F. Hawkes, 
A. H. (J. Kk^haruron, Geo. E. Corhon, H. Dingman, Chas. 0. Royce, 
Wm. Giukon. 



IBRARv ^;r ( 



012 027 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 







